Book 1: Flight From the Dark

Objective: To reach Holmgard, the Sommerlunding capital, to inform King Ulnar that the Kai Order, except you, has been destroyed by the attacking Darklords.

 

Significant Characters Met

1. Banedon: When you first meet him, he is a theurgist defending himself from a Giak attack. He will give you a Crystal Star Pendant if you rescue him. He will be a powerful mage and your good friend in future adventures.
2. Giaks: Cowardly race often used for canon fodder by the Darklords. Usually labourers of footsoldiers for the Darklords. Used to mountain terrain. CS ranges from 9-16 & EP from 9-28 in this book. Will be met later on. Very common foe when fighting against the Darklords.
3. King Ulnar: duh…. Who else do you deliver the message to?!
4. Kraan: Winged horrors which destroyed your kinsman. CS: 16 , EP: 24. Will be met later on quite common.
5. Prince Pelethar: King Ulnar's only son (duh..). Fell to a drakkar's arrow while in combat with a reptilian Gourgaz ( see below).
6. Vordak: a "lieutenant of the Darklords" possesses psychic powers which cause you to subtract 2 from your CS when fighting it, unless you have the Mind Shield Kai discipline.
7. Drakkar: Main warriors of the Darklords. Wear black armour and wield swords of black steel forged in the forges of the Darklands.
8. Gourgaz: a powerful reptilian species affiliated to the dark. The one you fight in the book has a CS of 20 and an EP of 30.
9. Doomwolves: these ferocious dogs have CS ranging from 13 to 15 and EP from 21 to 24

Significant places you can visit and things you discover.

1. The Graveyard of the Ancients: a forbidding graveyard with an untold horror you cannot survive if you stumble upon it. Going there will help you identify the Graveweed toxin potion in later books.
2. From Banedon (if you rescue him), you learn that Vonotar, also a guild member of the Crystal Star, was responsible for the death of your kinsman as he betrayed Sommerlund to the Darklords in exchange for the dark powers. He is known as Vonotar the Traitor and you will meet him in later books.

Goodies you can get…

• Crystal Star Pendant: A symbol of friendship from Banedon if you rescue him. It is supposedly a good luck charm and can be used in a later book to draw out poison from a wound. (hmmph!)
• All the ten weapons, including the axe you happened to possess when chopping wood, and a Giak spear left behind after the cowards were done pillaging a defenceless village
• Giak spear: Evidence of the cowardly pillaging of a defenceless village.
• Green gem: You get this from a Vordak corpse after defeating it. It might save your life of you happen to stumble upon an "ancient horror" in the Graveyard of the Ancients.
• Meal of Laumspur: restores 3 EP if eaten.
• Alether: Potion of Strength: + 2 CS for one combat. A not-so-common potion.
• Tablet of Perfumed Soap: an obvious red herring.
• Tinderbox: Used for illumination.
• Backpack: If you happen to lose yours. Only one backpack can be carried at any time.
• Helmet: + 2 EP.
• Chainmail Waistcoat: + 4 EP.
• Gold Crowns.
• Torch: Used for illumination.